10 Best Cool Cafes Sydney Has To Offer [2024]

Cool Cafes Sydney

Cafés have become an important element of Sydney’s social life, but they can be found in cities all around the globe. Because they offer a tranquil sanctuary away from the craziness of public settings where people can gather and converse freely, they’re ideal for reuniting with old friends and creating new ones. Furthermore, cool cafes provide the opportunity to recharge and have a terrific coffee experience all in one location, making them the perfect destination. This is why you should be aware of the best cool cafés Sydney has to offer.

1. 29th Apartment

Key Services	Movie-themed cocktails & snacks, New York-style pizza, private booth seating, creative and unique space
Website	https://www.29thapartment.com.au/
Address	29 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182, Australia
Phone	+61 3 8506 0765
E-mail	info@29thapartment.com.au
Operating Hours	6PM – 3AM Wednesdays – Sundays

The 29th apartment is well-known in the St. Kilda area for its unique décor, vivid color palette, and abstract artwork. On Fitzroy Street in St. Kilda, this Federation home and New York City flat are popular gathering places. Katishe, a scandalous and homeless artist who hawked her artwork on the streets of St. Kilda at night, lived in the apartment shown in the made-up 29th flat. The bar’s décor is a shrewd mashup of New York City’s classic and cutting-edge aesthetic with St. Kilda’s laid-back beachy vibe. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Vast array of artwork from Katishe

• Unique decor and vivid color palette

Customer Testimonial:

“This place goes crazy on a late Thursday night cheap drinks + great music”

Andrew Orkin

2. The Fox Hotel

Key Services	Craft Beer, Global Eats, Live Music, Vegetarian Burrito, Foxy Fish Plate
Website	https://thefoxhotel.com.au/
Address	351 Wellington St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9416 4957
E-mail	Info@thefoxhotel.com.au
Operating Hours	8AM – 2PM Mondays – Thursdays | 3PM – 1AM Fridays | 12PM – 1AM Saturdays | 12PM – 11PM Sundays

The Fox Hotel is a popular local watering hole in Collingwood. Food, drink, and décor are all modern takes on classics at this restaurant. This trendy café was formerly a bar, and the atmosphere inside is really chill. The menu has a lot of different things to choose from, like the vegetarian burrito, roasted pig belly, and Moreton Bay bug pie. Allergy sufferers, vegetarians, and vegans are all well taken care of. In the bar’s cooler, you may choose from over a hundred different kinds of beer, both local and foreign. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• A wide range of food and drinks

• Allergy-friendly options available

Customer Testimonial:

“Love it here. Great atmosphere, nice wine, friendly staff and fun games.”

Ali Hogg

3. Queen of Spades

Key Services	Tasty Nacho Chips, Beef And Halloumi, A Plethora Of Entertaining Games
Website	Facebook
Address	189 Smith St, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia, Victoria
Phone	+61 3 9509 4244
E-mail	queenofspadesbar@gmail.com
Operating Hours	8AM – 2PM Mondays – Fridays | 8PM – 8PM Saturdays – Sundays

The Queen Spade Fitzroy, which is both a café and a bar, has everything you need to play board games. During a game of Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, Scrabble, or any of the other accessible board games, you can enjoy craft beer, cider, wine, and classics from the Australian café canon. Along Smith Street, you can find many different kinds of food, such as Mediterranean-style harissa scrambled eggs with shaved pecorino, burgers, nachos, calamari, and more. The opulent atmosphere has high-quality gaming tables and an elegant layout. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• A wide range of board games

• Quality gaming tables and an elegant layout

Customer Testimonial:

“Great selection of games with staff always willing to teach you something new. Good food and amazing cakes! Plus delicious homemade sodas. There are games for beginners all the way through to savants.”

Jess Atkins

4. Alchemists Refuge

Key Services	Drinks Only, Friendly Service, Vast Games Library, Nerd-culture Cocktails And Boardgames
Address	Games Laboratory 328 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3000
Phone	+61 3 9602 2075

A corridor leading to the alchemist’s refuge may be located under the games laboratory. This pub is a great place to hang out with friends and play cards or board games because it has a wide range of beers and ciders and comfortable seats. The library has a large selection of board games, and the friendly staff is available to assist you in selecting one that will be enjoyed by everyone in your party. Pub fare, burgers, pizza, and bar snacks are among the dining choices offered. Everyone can dine in comfort. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• A wide range of beers and ciders

• Friendly staff to assist in game selection

Customer Testimonial:

“This place is amazing, it has a pretty good foosball table that just costs $1 to play with.”

Anushka F.

5. Marche

Key Services	Endless Supplies of Board Games, Social Events Accommodation, Taiwanese Inspired Food & Drinks, Karaoke Private Rooms
Website	https://mbgcafe.com.au/
Address	63 A’Beckett St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9663 8898
E-mail	info@mbgcafe.com.au
Operating Hours	2PM – 11PM Sundays – Thursdays | 2PM – 1AM Fridays – Saturdays

Just a block away from Sydney Central, on the bustling A’Beckett Street in the heart of Australia’s CBD, you’ll find the popular market known as Marche. You could spend hours here enjoying the karaoke, board games, and authentic Taiwanese cuisine while sipping on homemade bubble tea and milkshakes. Each wall is covered with a different game board. The library is a great place to get together with friends and spend time reading or learning something new. Good beverages and Taiwanese-style food are served in generous portions, ideal for Shari. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Traditional Taiwanese cuisine

• Karaoke and board games

Customer Testimonial:

“Enjoyed my time there. Good board game selection, good food and drinks. I forgot his name but the guy with glasses in reception was very nice to us and clearly knew the games. Will come back in the future!”

Agustin Tarapow

6. Market Lane Coffee

Key Services	Amazing Muffins, Beans Roasted On-site, Minimalist Store
Website	https://marketlane.com.au/
Address	Shop 73-76 Dairy Produce Hall Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9804 7434
E-mail	hello@marketlane.com.au
Operating Hours	7AM – 4PM Mondays – Fridays

Australia’s Market Lane Coffee roasts and sells specialty coffee across the world. They are committed to sourcing, roasting, and manufacturing high-quality coffee in an ethical manner. Fleur Studd and Jason Scheltus established Market Lane. Coffee that was fresh, in season, traceable, and of great quality was very difficult to get by on in Australia back then. Their idea for a solution was to rethink coffee’s past and future in order to make more people want high-quality specialty coffee. They sought out, roasted, and served only the highest quality beans in an effort to provide Sydney with the finest coffee available. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Fresh, in-season coffee

• High-quality specialty coffees

Customer Testimonial:

“Best coffee in Melbourne. Best Schultz milk used. Some other cafes use the Riverina milk, too briny for my liking.”

Bryan Lim

7. Patricia Coffee Brewers

Key Services	Espresso Blends, Artisanal Coffee, Small Treats, Standing Room Coffee Bar
Website	https://www.patriciacoffee.com.au/
Address	493-495 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9642 2237
E-mail	shop@patriciacoffee.com.au
Operating Hours	7AM – 4PM Mondays – Fridays

You may know Bowen Holden and Pip Heath, the proprietors of Patricia Coffee Brewers. In order to remember their deceased grandparents, they chose the name Patricia. In December 2011, they debuted many new lines, including Seven Seeds, Market Lane, Small Batch, Proud Mary, Everyday, Blume, and Friends. In 2016, people in Bureaux started roasting their own coffee, which gave us more control over the flavor. To keep things new and to promote exceptional roasters, they provide their own seasonal espresso blend (the “Patricia Blend”), as well as filter coffees and guest coffees. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Seasonal espresso blend

• Filter coffees and guest coffees

Customer Testimonial:

“One of the staff, Liam, was just go beyond expectation and he love what he’s doing. He offer me sparkling water while waiting and welcoming me inside, also gave a taster of the filter brew batch which was really nice of him. Made my day! Amazing customer service!”

Duangkamon Lueang

8. St. Ali Coffee Roasters

Key Services	Artisanal Coffee, Inventive Brunches, Online Coffee Blends, Trendy Warehouse Space
Website	https://stali.com.au/
Address	12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9132 8966
E-mail	support@stali.com.au
Operating Hours	7AM – 5PM Daily

St. Ali was a pioneer in the specialty coffee market, helping to create the genre in Sydney and being at the forefront of the sector to this day. St. Ali was an early producer of specialty coffee and may thus be regarded as an industry pioneer. Since its inception in 2005, ST. Ali has evolved gradually to become an industry leader. This has been accomplished by providing the greatest cuisine in each of its categories and by establishing direct relationships with farmers, roasting coffee in-house, and brewing coffee expertly. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Pioneers in the specialty coffee market

• Direct relationships with farmers

Customer Testimonial:

“Great coffee of course. Perfect ambience for brunch, pork chopped and banoffee madelines is just awesome. Friendly and helpful staff.”

Aditya Christopher

9. Proud Mary

Key Services	Homemade Brews, Outdoor Seating Area, Drinks, Brekkies, Single-origin Coffee
Website	https://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/
Address	172 Oxford St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
Phone	+61 3 9417 5930
E-mail	us@proudmarycoffee.com.au
Operating Hours	7AM – 3PM Mondays – Fridays | 8AM – 3PM Saturdays – Sundays

Nolan and Sharte Hirte created Proud Mary in 2009 in Melbourne. It is tough to start the day without Proud Mary’s goods and services. In Melbourne and Portland, Oregon, they strive to provide each consumer with a meaningful encounter. They purchase coffee directly from the growers and distribute it throughout Australia and the United States. In addition to coffee, its retail outlets provide all-day breakfast, lunch, upscale tea, fresh juice, smoothies, cakes and pastries, and table service. They are sincere, polite, amusing, and cheeky, and they take pleasure in their work. They adore pampering their clients. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Directly purchase coffee from growers

• All-day breakfast, lunch, upscale tea, fresh juice, smoothies, cakes and pastries

Customer Testimonial:

“Amazing coffee, one of the best cafe in Collingwood for sure. They also very famous in Thailand with Proudmary roaster. Love it”

Wander Wider

10. Monk Bodhi Dharma

Key Services	Vegan And Vegetarian Options, Chai Lattes, Micro-roastery
Website	http://www.monkbodhidharma.com.au/
Address	Rear, 202 Carlisle St, Balaclava VIC 3183, Australia
Phone	+61 478 932 556
E-mail	jake@monkbd.com.au
Operating Hours	7AM – 5PM Mondays – Fridays | 8AM – 5PM Saturdays – Sundays

The Sacred Bodhi Dharma Melbourne is the location of a charming coffee roastery and tea house. Moreover, the food served at Monk Bodhi Dharma is homemade, healthy, and cooked with care using only the finest, responsibly sourced ingredients. Monk Bodhi Dharma is the name of a popular Melbourne coffee shop. They do their own roasting and source their beans directly from small, seasonal farms and single estates whenever possible. You can purchase the seasonal coffee at the counter, and they will be happy to roast it to your specifications. As a result, they are one of the finest cool cafes Sydney has to offer.

Key Differentiators:

• Homemade, healthy and cooked with care

• Source beans directly from small, seasonal farms

Customer Testimonial:

“The food is delicious and servings are quite large. Not too mention, most items on the menu are vegan! I was also pleased with the uncaffeinated chai, it’s so hard to find a café with yummy decaf options apart from the usual herbal teas.”

Clémentine Desjonqueres

Cool Cafes Sydney

When searching for a coffee shop, there are several factors to consider. You should consider not only the pricing and availability of Wi-Fi, but also the ambience, coffee, and food of the establishment. You may also emphasize what distinguishes this café from others in the region. Remember that the mood will be significantly impacted by the reason for your visit. We hope this helps you find the best cool cafés Sydney has to offer.

If you’re looking for more recommendations, you can check out our other posts below:

• Best Coffee Shops in Melbourne (2024)
• Best Drive Through Coffee Melbourne Has To Offer (2024)
• Best Brunch Melbourne Has To Offer (2024)